Chapter Two
Aria
As we lay awake in bed, I watched Zayden, who seemed to have still not recovered from what had transpired between us. I was a bit in shock. Tonight had been more than I had expected in every way possible. Zayden had not only made the hospital payment, but also gone out of his way to charm me, which made me feel incredible.
I hoped that he would be the last person I have sex with, but I had to be cautious in hoping things of that nature. After all, he had just called me his girlfriend, not offered me a wedding ring. Chances were that he still intended to say goodbye to me after the contract. But then he wouldn’t have used that word.
His reaction when I called him my boyfriend had also taken me by surprise. His eyes flickered with the most intense gaze I had ever seen them bestow upon me. The way he had kissed me after had also been very different, much less sexual, much more gentle and romantic. He had obviously enjoyed hearing me call him that, which meant that I could keep some hope that we would be together for far beyond the contract without feeling like a complete moron.
When Zayden finally opened his eyes, waking up from the oblivion caused by his orgasm, he turned me around to the edge of his bed gently without saying a word. He closed himself onto me, wrapping his right hand over me. As we lay spooning, I started wondering what the night had in store for us next.
“Aria,” he spoke eventually, still holding me. “Are you okay with what happened today?”
“It’s a little too late to ask that question, don’t you think?” I giggled, and it was a giggle made of jest. He jerked upright, looking completely wounded by what I had just said.
“I – I am sorry,” he said looking nervous.
I had never quite seen him like this before, in such a compromising position. He looked as though he hadn’t been more remorseful about anything in his life and needed desperately to give me a reasonable explanation for what had happened.
“I lost control. You don’t know how good you feel. You don’t know the things that happen to my mind and body when I am inside you. It’s like, it’s like the whole world ceases to exist and my mind just becomes completely incapable of any real thoughts or feelings. All it can see, think, or feel is you. All rationality and logic goes out the window. And, and, I know that’s not really a very good explanation. There is no good explanation. I just wasn’t—”
“Zayden,” I cut him off, trying to make a visibly amused expression on my face. “I was joking. I don’t mind what happened at all, relax. I don’t know if you noticed but I came pretty hard too.”
“I did, which is why I thought it was okay, but—”
“No but. You thought right. It felt good.” As relief seemed to run through his whole face, I added, “Really good. Really, really good.”
“So, you would do it again?” He grinned, and I was glad to notice that all tension had vanished from his face.
“Maybe.” I smiled mischievously. “Maybe if you help me out first.”
He raised his eyebrows and made a quizzical expression as if to say, “Aren’t I already helping you enough?”
“What? Don’t make that face! It’s just, I have this paper due tomorrow. And as you can imagine, between the stress with my mother’s bills and the contract and…well, us…I have hardly been able to concentrate on schoolwork. I have to do it tonight no matter what. And your help would be appreciated.”
“Hmm,” he said, smiling from the corner of his mouth. “If you aren’t careful, you are going to make me think you’re using me for my brains.”
“Well, of course I am,” I said matter-of-factly. “I would be an idiot not to, wouldn’t I? But if it took you this long to figure that out, your brain is obviously not all that I thought it to be.”
He looked affronted for a split-second before catching my eyes, which must have been twinkling with the mirth that I felt, because we both burst out laughing.
“This, right here, Aria. This is why I am so smitten. You are fucking extraordinary.”
Smitten? He was gripped by me? That sounded oddly like saying he was, I don’t know, in love with me, didn’t it? Why didn’t he just say that? I did not let it show on my face. Nor did I let it show even a hint of the profound joy that I was currently feeling. Instead, I nodded simply, bidding for time so that when I spoke I would say something sensible and wise, instead of squeaking.
“You got awfully quiet, did I offend you?” He asked, looking concerned.
“No, not at all,” I jumped to say immediately. “I was just thinking of how to thank you for your compliment.”
“Have you figured out a way, then?” he asked smiling.
“Oh, I can think of many, but we have both exhausted ourselves enough so that will obviously have to wait. But don’t worry; you will be handsomely rewarded for your flattery.”
“It’s not idle flattery. I really mean those things.” After looking like he was deeply considering whether to speak these next set of words, he added, “Sometimes I wish I didn’t. You frustrate me so much, you haven’t the slightest idea. Nobody in my living memory has made me feel the roller coaster of emotions you put me through and I hate it, but I can’t help be drawn to you.” He gently ran his fingers through the small of my back. “I don’t think you know this, but you are a really special girl.”
I rolled my eyes, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Sure.” I chuckled. “I am so special, I go to college and work on an hourly wage and have regular people friends. Yep, I am so special.”
“That’s one of the things that makes you so special. You think of yourself as ordinary, even though you are the most exquisite girl – woman – that I have ever met.”
I snorted involuntarily and tried to turn it into a cough. “If I am so very exquisite, then, why don’t you help me with my homework?” I said that mostly to change the topic, as his increased description of my merits was starting to make me feel uncomfortable, especially since I had no clue what the appropriate response was.
“What do I get in return?” he teased.
“An opportunity to spend time with me, of course.” I giggled. “I mean, that is obviously worth a lot to you. Word on the street is that you are paying tens of thousands of dollars just for that.”
He grunted and said, “Don’t bring that up right now.”
“Sorry.” I shrugged. “Only joking. And you don’t really have to help—”
“No, I want to help with your paper,” he cut me off. “But I do have one condition.”
I turned around to look at him so that we were no longer spooning, and surveyed his face, feeling slightly nervous. What could he possibly want now?
“What is it?” I asked carefully.
“I would like to meet your mother.”
Immediately, I burst out laughing. “You are really funny, Zayden. But seriously, what can I do for you?”
“Why is that funny?” He raised both his eyebrows. “I am serious. I would like to meet your mom.”
“That is the worst idea you have ever had,” I said with a smile. “Right after the first worst idea of making me this contract.” As his face began to look dismal, I hastily added, “I am joking around. Seriously though, it’s not a very good idea. Maybe we should wait a little bit longer before—”
“Don’t you think I have the right to get to know the person for whose medical bills I am investing so much money?” He looked annoyed now. He was right, after all. He did deserve to know whom he was making these payments for. If I argued with him, I wouldn’t get the help I needed with my paper, and we’d just spend time arguing back and forth. Plus, I could always tell my mom that Zayden was simply someone I worked with, rather than letting her find out that I was sleeping with my boss.
“Just tell me when and where and I’ll arrange for it,” I said, giving up. “Now, we have a paper to write.”
---
When I woke up the next morning, the world was suddenly a different place. I felt as though I had awoken from a fantasy so deeply etched into my subconscious that I didn’t even know it existed. Groggily, I turned around on the bed and reached for Zayden, but he wasn’t there. From the sound of the shower running I could tell he was in the bathroom.
I looked around the room and took a deep breath. As of last night, I was in a real relationship with my boss. The thought sent a shiver of excitement and happiness through my entire body. I was going out with Zayden Sinclair. I was going out with handsome, incredible Zayden Sinclair, who every girl between the ages of 18 and 70 would give up an arm and a leg to spend just an evening with. How had this happened? How had I not only managed to attract the attention of such an incredible man, but also make him fall for me? He had said he was smitten, hadn’t he? I only realized how hard I had been grinning when my cheeks started hurting. It was too good to be true.
I could dwell on that later. For now, I fancied a nice, warm shower and fresh, comfortable clothes. I slowly got up and gathered whatever items of my clothing I could find discarded all over the floor and started walking towards the shower that was in the hallway since I didn’t feel like interrupting Zayden.
As soon as I got out of his room, however, I almost had a heart attack. An older-looking woman was walking alongside the other end. I had thought there was nobody but me and Zayden in the house. With great embarrassment, I tried to cover myself up with whatever bits of my dress I could grab, but it was probably neither timely nor very effective. The woman had already caught a glimpse of my face and was smiling in what seemed to be a very sinister manner.
“So,” she said in a scornful tone. “You’re his latest conquest?”
“Excuse me?” I looked at her in confusion.
“Zayden’s newest arm candy.”
“Um, no. Who are you?”
“Nevermind that. I have to say I am not very surprised he picked such a young girl. That’s just his style. You are of legal age, right?”
Was this woman suggesting I was a minor and Zayden was committing a crime? What the hell was her problem?
“I turn 21 next month, not that it’s any of your business.”
“Oh wow, you’re feisty too. That’s right up his alley. Congratulations! Zayden is quite a beneficial catch for you.”
“I don’t know who you are or what you are talking about, but I don’t have time to address your needless concerns about things that, to my knowledge, do not pertain to you in any way, shape, or form.”
I turned my heels around and walked into the bathroom, feeling pissed. Who the hell was that woman and why was she being so judgmental? Suggesting I was a minor and some kind of an object of Zayden’s fantasy – well that part was, in a way, true enough, but what did she mean “beneficial?” Was she suggesting I was using Zayden for his money?
The thought gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my chest. In some ways, that was exactly what I was doing, wasn’t I? I was using the resources he had to my own advantage. But I was going to pay him back eventually for all the medical bills. That was for certain. No matter what happened between the two of us in terms of our romantic relationship, I was never going to forget what he had done for me and would always be grateful. Even if I wasn’t, even if I ended up hating him somehow, I would pay each and every penny he spent back. It might take me a few years, but I was determined to make it happen.
I turned on the shower and stepped into it. Feeling a little better, I let the warm water run over my body, letting all my worries momentarily evaporate. But a part of me was still wondering who the heck I had just talked to…